Buttonhole-stitch gage and cord-guide.



No. sas\ao5. Patented Nov. l2, |90|.

J. T. KILLMEIER.

BUTTONHOLE STITCH GAGE AND CORD GUIDE.

. (Application filed. Feb. 23, 1901. (No Modal.)

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH THEODORE KILLMEIER, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BUTTONH'OLE-STITCH GAGE AND CORD-GUIDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 686,305, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed February 23, 1901. Serial No. 48,519. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH THEODORE KILLMEIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Buttonhole-Stitch Gage and Cord-Guide, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to furnish an instrument to be used as a gage for the stitches and also aguide and holder for the cord when one is used. I attain these objects by means of the instrument shown in the accompanying drawing.

The instrument is made to apply to the end of the thumb of the hand used in holding the goods in which the buttonhole is being worked and in such a position that the front edge X X lies along the edge of the buttonhole.

The instrument is composed of a thin plate A, with a transverse rib O dividing it into two portions, the rear portion A being used for the sole purpose of attaching to the thumb by means of two bent wings D. The rib 0 acts in the double capacity of a stilfening-rib for the plate and as a stop for the end of the thumb. The forward portion B has a notch E cut from it, through which the needle is passed at each stitch, and in this manner by making the notch of a determined width and sliding the instrument a definite distance after each. stitch a means is provided for obtaining regularity in the stitches, and, furthermore, the necessity of straining the eyes in watching the work is. largelydispensed with. Any portion of the edge X X, as at F, may be slightly turned to hook over the edge of the buttonhole, and thereby guide itself along said edge.

As a means of guiding the cord K used to form a bead in the edge of the stitching of buttonholes, I provide in the part B a hole G through the plate and a lug H with another hole I, so that the cord for beading passes underneath the portion B, across the notch E, and is brought upward through the hole G and again through the hole I, so that as the gage is passed along the edge of the buttonhole it also slips over the cord, and the slight friction necessary to pull it through the holes G and I keeps it taut and in line and position under the notch E. Instead of the lug H with its hole I another hole may be made in the portion B of the plate near the position of the lug H or some other method employed for guiding and giving tension to the cord after passing through the hole G.

The instrument may be made of any suitable material, that which I prefer being aluminium. It may be stamped out of a thin sheet and the rib C be formed by bending one thickness against another, or it may be entirely stamped or cast to produce the best re- 'sults.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to cover by Letters Patent, is-

1. An instrument to apply to the end of the thumb and to be used as a gage for stitching and working buttonholes, having a notch or slot cut in the edge of the instrument which is placed on the edge of the buttonhole, to be used for passing the needle through in making the stitches, substantially as described and shown.

2. An instrument to apply to the end of the thumb or to be held in any other convenient manner, provided with a notch or slot in its outer edge and a hole or holes through which the beading-cord of a buttonhole may pass after crossing under the notch or slot substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination in one instrument of means for gaging the stitches of buttonholes or other needle-work, and the means of guiding the cord used in beading buttonholes or other needle-worlgsubstantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH THEODORE KILLMEIER. WVituesses:

MARSHALL MORRIS, PIERQE BUTLER. 

